Glossary of Rugby Union Terms - B

B

Ball back

If the ball enters touch, then play is restarted by a line-out at the point where the ball left the field of play. The exception to this is if the ball is kicked into touch on the full. In this case, a line-out is taken from the point from where the ball was kicked from, and not from where it entered touch.

Ball back is waived in certain circumstances:

• If the kicking player is inside his own 22m line when he receives and then kicks the ball. If the player receives the ball outside the 22 then retreats back into the 22 and kicks into touch on the full it is a lineout at the nearest point on the touchline from where the ball was kicked.
• If a side elects to kick a penalty into touch.

Bill

Australian name given to the Webb Ellis Cup.

Black dot

A mark in the centre of the crossbar connecting the goal posts, usually black in colour, used as an aid to kickers with their aiming. A player scoring a try in the centre of the goal line, that is beneath the posts, can be said to have scored "under the black dot".

Blindside

The narrow side of the pitch in relation to a scrum or a breakdown in play; it is the opposite of openside. The blindside flanker is expected to cover the opposing team blindside at scrum and breakdown.

Blitz defence

The blitz defence is a defensive technique similar to the defence used in rugby league. It relies on the whole defensive line moving forward towards their marked man as one, as soon as the ball leaves the base of a ruck or maul. The charge is usually led by the inside centre.

The idea of this technique is to prevent the attacking team gaining any ground by tackling them behind the gain line and forcing interceptions and charged down kicks. However, the defending team can be vulnerable to chip kicks and any player breaking the defensive line will have lots of space to play because the defence are running the other way and must stop, turn and chase.

Blood bin

It is also called blood replacement. A player who has a visible bleeding injury may be replaced for up to fifteen minutes (running time not game time), during which he or she may receive first-aid treatment to stop the flow of blood and dress the wound. The player may then to return to the pitch to continue playing.

Bonus points

Bonus points are a method of deciding table points from a rugby union match. It was implemented in order to encourage attacking play throughout a match, to discourage repetitive goal-kicking, and to reward teams for "coming close" in losing efforts.

• Under the standard system, 1 bonus point is awarded for scoring 4 (or more) tries and 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points (or fewer).
• The French professional league replaces the four-try bonus point with a point for a win in which the winning team scores at least 3 more tries than its opponent.

Box-kick

This is a kick taken from behind a scrum, normally by the scrum-half, in which he turns away from the scrum facing the touchline, and kicks the ball back over the scrum into the clear "box" of space behind the opposition to allow his own team to chase through and regain the ball in undefended territory .

Breakdown

The breakdown is a colloquial term for the period immediately after a tackle and before and during the ensuing ruck. During this time teams compete for possession of the ball, initially with their hands and then using feet in the ruck. Most referees will call "ruck" or "hands away" as soon as a ruck is formed. Most infringements take place at the breakdown, owing to the greater variety of possible offences at a breakdown, for example handling in the ruck, killing the ball, offside at the ruck and so on.